Written by: Vickie Sullivan  |  January 25, 2024

When the Unexpected Happens: The Best Way to React

Is your world filled with unexpected incidents? Yep, me, too. Unfortunately, I don’t always handle them well.

I learned that after a recent situation. I realized my reaction to painful surprises can make things worse than they need to be. That’s because my go-to response when something unexpected happens is to immediately react. After all, this is an emergency that requires immediate attention.

The problem with acting immediately is that I react without having all the information. So, any action taken in such an information vacuum usually makes the situation worse.

What I should do is counter-intuitive to me. I need to pause and not act until I get the story straight. Rather than rushing to find out why something happened, I need to fact-check what I know.

2 Questions to Ask When the Unexpected Happens

When something unexpected happens, here are two questions to ask that will uncover what you need to do.

• Can the worst-case scenario happen? A recent situation regarding technology almost gave me a heart attack. Why? Because I imagined a worst-case scenario that didn’t exist. One conversation confirmed this was an easy fix.

• Who can help? Sometimes you can’t fix the problem alone. With my situation, one quick email set the solution in motion. In less than 24 hours, we solved the problem without a hitch.

In times of uncertainty, it’s common to be caught off-guard. How we respond to unexpected events determines the path towards the best outcome.

Listen: 2 False Stories that Make Bad Situations Worse

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